It is the season for looking into the future, both to the 2016 season and beyond.

Let’s look at the Redskins three years from now. Who will still be here? Which players will be top performers? Here’s a possible snapshot of the team going into training camp in the year 2019. We’ll look at the offense today and the defense later this week.

To define the terms here, a blue chip player is one who is one of the top four to six players in the league at his position, is a consistent Pro Bowl caliber performer and occasionally gets All-Pro consideration.

A solid starter is also known as a red chip player. The team is happy with his level of play and is not looking to upgrade, These players are below the elite level but firmly in the top 10 or 12 at their positions. These players perhaps make an occasional visit to the Pro Bowl.

Potential starters are exactly that, players who could be starting in three years or who could be on the bench or playing elsewhere. Even if they are starting in Washington the team may be on the lookout for an upgrade.

Williams already is established as a blue chipper and Reed is becoming recognized as one. As long as he stays healthy he will be a bona fide blue chipper this year. Scherff has the talent and work ethic to get to the Pro Bowl in the next couple of years and once he gets in he will be an annual selection.

Cousins could emerge into a quality quarterback but right now it’s hard to see him getting up into the upper echelon of QBs. We’ll know more after next year.

Doctson is a pure projection since he hasn’t taken an NFL snap yet. There is no reason to think that Moses and Crowder will not continue to be very productive players.

Long had a chance to take a firm hold on his future after starting 13 games last year but he finds himself in a competition for a starting job. This is a big year for Jones, who has a chance to either break out or bust. Kouandjio has yet to take any meaningful snaps but he is likely to in the next couple of years.

The chances are that older players like DeSean Jackson, Pierre Garçon, and Kory Lichtensteiger will be gone by 2019.

Under team control through 2019 are Williams, Scherff (with 5th year option), Reed, and Doctson. Moses and Long will be free agents following the 2017 season, Crowder, Kouandjio, and Jones have contracts that expire after 2018.

Here is what you need to know on this Monday, March 19, 38 days before the NFL draft.

Free agency notes and nuggets

Looking at the 2018 depth chart—offense

The Redskins are likely to make a few more free agent acquisitions and there is the draft, but the depth chart is beginning to settle in. Let’s take a look at where the offensive side of the ball stands now. The defense is up tomorrow

Quarterback: Alex SmithBackups: Colt McCoy

The only question here is if the Redskins will draft a late-round project quarterback to develop as the backup. McCoy is in the last year of his contract and he may not be back in 2019.

This is an area to watch. Thompson could end up being the only carryover if they get a draft pick who can start and decide to keep 2017 late-season addition Kapri Bibbs or if they find another veteran. They also could go with only three running backs.

As of right now, this appears to be one of the few position groups you can write in with a Sharpie. If the Redskins are going to be better in 2018, a lot of the improvement will have to come from improvement of 2017 draft picks like Sprinkle. If he can develop into a solid blocker and a moderate receiving threat he will be an asset.

Kouandjio is a placeholder at left guard for the moment. He was solid pass blocking but struggled in run blocking in six starts in injury fill-in duty. I think that if they bring in another interior O-lineman in free agency or in the draft, Roullier will remain at center. I think Jay Gruden likes the way he is developing there and wants to continue.